To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive

The 2005 version of Doctor Who has its American premiere on Sci-Fi tonight at 9/8 Central. Two episodes, two hours. (And if you miss them, they rerun at 11:30 PM on Sunday and 10 AM on Monday.)

Why should you watch? Because it can have you laughing, crying, and covering your eyes in terror all in the space of one episode. Because it tackles knotty emotional and moral issues with surprising deftness. Because the actors are phenomenal. Because the premise allows for absolutely anything to happen. Because it is damn funny, often in a campy sort of way that never takes itself too seriously. Because the main character is a 900-year-old alien from a destroyed planet who travels through time in a ship disguised as a 1950s police call box.

It's rather similar to Farscape in many ways: in the heights of imagination it reaches; in the way the characters are intricately drawn and infinitely appealing, while remaining flawed; in the way the aliens, when we see them, are very, very alien; even in the flatulence (just wait until episodes 4 and 5 *eg*).

Like the Stargate series, it has a minimalist sort of arc; references are made to past episodes, but you don't have to see all of them in order not to be lost, like BSG. Guest characters show up again as well.

It has one of the most adorable 'ships known to man in the Doctor and Rose. ADORABLE, I TELL YOU. There is hand-holding, and hugging, and lots of really sweet moments all through the season. It's not highlighted to the point where it takes over the show, but it is definitely in evidence throughout, and it's so cute.

And besides. What else are you gonna watch on Fridays now that SG-1, SGA, and BSG are all off the air until July or October? *g*

I'm really hoping that if enough people watch the first season, Sci-Fi will buy up and show the second in the space left by BSG not coming back until October. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease...

Also see this post by mrv3000 and this one by elflore.

ETA: The first episode, "Rose," is quite a bit cheesier than the rest of the season. If you watch it and wonder how a show like that could possibly inspire all the hype it has, give it another one. The second episode, "The End of the World," was what hooked me good and proper on the show.